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Super bug — Japanese entomologist encounters a real-life titan, but of the insect variety

Jamie Koide Feb 18, 2016
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titanbeetle

A bug enthusiast’s dream and your average person’s worst nightmare, this rare titan beetle discovery has set Japanese Twitter abuzz.

While studying insects in South America, Twitter user and Japanese entomologist Munetoshi Maruyama came across a titan beetle, said to be the second largest beetle in the world.

▼ “Here comes the star of the show. While I was looking up at this eudaemonia troglophylla (a species of moth) flying overhead, I heard a loud noise and something hitting the curtain. When I turned around I couldn’t believe my eyes; it was a titan beetle. I immediately went to grab it and was taken aback by how large it was. I couldn’t help but let out a shout.”

さて、真打ちの登場。上空を飛ぶリボンヤママユを見上げていたら、幕に何かがぶつかる大きな音が。振り向くと信じられないほど大きなタイタンオオウスバカミキリがいた。むんずとつかんでその大きさにさらにびっくり。思わず声をあげた。 pic.twitter.com/wPxmSZAJRL

— 丸山宗利 Maruyama🍥 (@dantyutei) February 12, 2016

I don’t know what my first reaction would have been upon seeing something like that anywhere near me, but I doubt reaching out to touch it would have made the list.

Besides the insect’s gigantic size, Maruyama goes on to elaborate why this titan beetle was such an interesting find:

▼ “It was one of the largest specimens at over 16 centimeters (6.3 inches) in length. Hercules beetles can grow up to 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) in length, but since their horns take up half that length, this titan beetle appears much larger in size. They usually only come out during warm, rainy days or late at night, so coming across one like this was a rare find indeed.”

しかも16センチくらいの最大級の個体だった。ヘラクレスオオカブトは17センチになるが、体の大半は角なので、タイタンオオウスバカミキリのほうがずっと大きく見える。暖かい雨の日の深夜だけに飛来するそうで、まさにそのような状況だった。 pic.twitter.com/dd5XT4utwe

— 丸山宗利 Maruyama🍥 (@dantyutei) February 12, 2016

Apparently an even rarer find would have been titan beetle larvae, which entomologists speculate to live inside wood until they reach maturity, but have not yet been discovered.

The titan beetle is native to the rainforest of countries like Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and parts of Brazil, but probably not something you’ll find mentioned in any South American travel brochures.

Fortunately for those of us who would have immediately launched an attack the second they saw a creepy-crawly like this on their doorstep, as long as you live outside these areas you should have nothing to fear. That doesn’t mean that Asian countries like Japan and China don’t have their own share of frightening critters, however.

Source: Twitter/@danyutei (1, 2) via Togech
Top/feature image: Twitter/@danyutei